This page is for foreign nationals applying for a Taiwan visa — including Visitor Visas, Resident Visas, and e-Visa applications processed through the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) of the Republic of China (ROC). The standard photo size is 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall, printed on high-quality photographic paper or prepared as a JPEG for online submission. Visa photo rules from BOCA can be applied more strictly than passport photo rules at the same consular window — a borderline photo that squeaks through a passport renewal may not survive a visa assessment. Getting the specs exactly right from the start avoids costly delays or, in the worst case, a visa refusal that sets your trip back by weeks.
Visa photo rejections carry higher stakes than passport photo rejections. A declined passport photo means re-submitting; a photo-related visa refusal can mean losing application fees, rebooking travel, and waiting through another processing cycle. Always verify requirements directly with your nearest Taiwanese overseas mission or the BOCA visa portal before submitting.
Applied for at a Taiwanese overseas mission (embassy, TECO, or economic & cultural office in your country). You will need two printed colour photographs pasted or clipped onto the paper application form, in addition to the digital application filled out at visawebapp.boca.gov.tw. Photo printed on high-quality photographic paper; no staples.
Also processed at Taiwanese overseas missions or at BOCA offices in Taiwan. Same 35 × 45 mm printed photo requirement applies. Some mission-specific checklists specify that the first photo be pasted to the form and the second clipped — confirm with the office handling your application, as requirements can vary slightly by processing location.
The e-Visa is completed entirely online through BOCA's eVisa portal (visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_EVISA). A digital photo is uploaded as part of the online application — the same biometric specifications apply. The portal typically requires JPEG format; review the upload page instructions for current file size and pixel limits before uploading. No physical photo printout is submitted for the e-Visa.
Upload your photo and generate a compliant 35 × 45 mm visa photo in seconds. No Photoshop. No studio appointment.
Your image will open directly inside Passport Photo Maker with the correct visa template selected automatically. If you are applying for a Resident Visa or e-Visa, select the appropriate visa type inside the tool to confirm the correct template is active.
No measuring or manual resizing. The tool crops to the exact BOCA-specified dimensions.
Your head is automatically positioned so it fills 70–80% of the photo height — the range BOCA enforces.
No plain wall required. Background removal produces the required plain white in one step.
Download a printable sheet for consulate submission or a correctly sized JPEG for e-Visa portal upload.
Select your visa category and the tool applies the correct submission settings automatically.
Before you download, the tool flags common issues: shadows, expression, head size, and background colour.
The specifications below reflect BOCA's published guidelines and information sourced from Taiwanese overseas missions. Requirements are consistent across Visitor and Resident visa categories for the physical photo; note the separate digital-format row for e-Visa online submissions. Always confirm with the specific office processing your application, as individual missions may add requirements.
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall (3.5 × 4.5 cm) BOCA confirmed |
| Head height | 32–36 mm from chin to crown — 70–80% of the photo's vertical height BOCA confirmed |
| Background | Plain white — no patterns, shadows, or colour gradients BOCA confirmed |
| Colour | Full colour; black-and-white or filtered photos are not accepted |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible. No smiling. |
| Head position | Facing forward, no tilt left/right/forward/backward. Evenly centred in frame. Hair must not cover eyebrows or eyes. |
| Glasses | Corrective glasses permitted — no glare, no tinted lenses, frames must not cover eyes. Coloured/circle contact lenses are explicitly prohibited. |
| Head coverings | Not permitted except for documented religious or medical reasons. Full facial features (chin to forehead, both edges) must be clearly visible. |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 6 months BOCA confirmed |
| Print quality | High-quality photographic paper; image sharp, clear, and in focus. No creases, marks, or ink stains. |
| Lighting | Even, shadow-free on face and background. No red-eye. No harsh flash directly in front. |
| Camera distance | Approximately 1.2 metres from face (minimum 1 metre). Camera at eye level. No digital zoom. |
| Digital format (e-Visa / online) | JPEG/JPG, RGB colour mode (min. 24-bit). For BOCA passport online system: min. 531 px height × 413 px width, max file size 5 MB. Verify current e-Visa portal limits at visawebapp.boca.gov.tw |
| Number of photos (in-person) | Typically two colour photos for consulate/mission submission — one pasted, one clipped or attached |
| Uniform / clothing | No military, police, or camouflage clothing |
| Alterations | Digital alteration, composite photos, and mirrored/reversed images are not permitted |
| Specs vary by visa type? | Not for photo dimensions. Physical specs identical across Visitor, Resident, and e-Visa. Submission format differs (print vs. digital upload). |
The Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), is the central authority responsible for setting visa photo standards and processing visa applications made within Taiwan. For foreign nationals applying from outside Taiwan, applications are handled through Taiwan's network of overseas missions — variously called Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (TECOs), Taipei Representative Offices, or embassies/consular offices depending on the applicant's country.
The online visa application system is available at visawebapp.boca.gov.tw. Most applicants — regardless of visa category — are required to complete the application form online, print the barcode receipt, and submit it along with physical documents (including printed photos) to their local Taiwanese mission. The e-Visa pathway is available for eligible nationalities and allows the entire process, including photo submission, to be handled online without a consulate visit.
BOCA's photo standards for visas reference ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) biometric guidelines — the same framework used for passports internationally — but consular staff have discretion to apply them strictly, especially for longer-stay and resident categories.
Taiwan's visa photo requirements are specific enough that a few details frequently trip up applicants who copy instructions from other countries' visa guides:
Applicants from the United States often assume visa photos are the standard US 2×2-inch format. Taiwan requires 35 mm × 45 mm — a taller, narrower proportion. A US-format 2×2-inch photo will be rejected. The difference matters most if you're ordering prints at a pharmacy or using a US-based photo kiosk.
BOCA's guidelines specifically flag coloured and circle contact lenses as grounds for rejection at the visa stage and as a cause of difficulty at immigration e-gates later. This is unusually explicit compared to many countries' visa photo rules. Even if you wear coloured lenses daily, remove them for your visa photo.
While background correction tools (like Passport Photo Maker's automatic removal) are acceptable, any alteration to the facial image itself — smoothing skin, removing features, adjusting eye colour — is explicitly prohibited. The BOCA guidelines note that altered or mirrored photos can cause clearance problems at airport e-gates, so this rule has practical consequences beyond the visa stage.
Head coverings are permitted only for religious or medical reasons, and even then, all facial features from chin to forehead and both edges of the face must remain fully visible. There is no exception for decorative or fashion-based head coverings.
BOCA's guidelines specify that the camera lens should be approximately 1.2 metres from the applicant's face (minimum 1 metre), at eye level, without digital zoom. This is more prescriptive than most countries' guidance. If taking a home photo, avoid short focal lengths that introduce facial distortion, and keep a genuine distance between the camera and your face.
Taiwan's visa system offers two main digital touchpoints for photo submission:
Most visa categories require completing the application online at BOCA's web portal. For many of these, the photo is still submitted as a physical print attached to the printed-out application form — the online form collects your data, but the photo travels with your paper documents to the consular office.
If you qualify for an e-Visa, the photo is uploaded digitally through the portal. Based on BOCA's documented technical requirements for digital photo submissions, the expected format is:
For consulate-processed Visitor and Resident Visas, two printed photos are typically required — one pasted directly onto the application form, and one clipped or attached separately. Photos must not be stapled to the form. Bring both photos; some missions have returned applications when only one was provided. The printed photos should be on true photographic paper (not standard printer paper), sharp, free of creases, and free of ink marks.
BOCA's guidelines address child photographs specifically: photos for children must show the child's head and shoulders only. No chairs, toys, pacifiers, car seats, or other people should be visible in the frame. For infants and very young children who cannot sit unaided, the photo may be taken lying down, but the background must remain plain white and the face fully visible.
The same biometric rules apply to child photos as to adult photos — head must be centred, eyes open, neutral expression. The head-height requirement (70–80% of the photo) applies equally for children. Getting this range right on a young child who may not cooperate is genuinely difficult; take multiple shots and select the best with Passport Photo Maker's cropping tool rather than trying to pose the child perfectly in a single take.
Because children's appearances change quickly, the 6-month recency rule is especially worth keeping in mind when applying for resident or longer-stay visas. If a child's visa processing takes time and the photo ages past six months during the process, you may need to re-submit fresh photos.
Yes — a professional studio is not required for Taiwan visa photos. A modern smartphone with a 12-megapixel or better camera is sufficient, provided you follow the setup carefully.
The camera should be at your eye level, approximately 1.2 metres from your face (BOCA's minimum is 1 metre). Do not use the front-facing selfie camera if you can avoid it — the wide focal length introduces distortion. Use the rear camera with a timer or ask someone else to take the photo. Digital zoom should not be used.
Position yourself facing a large, diffused light source — a window on an overcast day works well. Avoid shooting with a bright light source directly behind you, which creates shadows on the background. Direct camera flash tends to produce red-eye and harsh shadows; if shooting indoors, use multiple ambient light sources from both sides of your face rather than a single direct flash.
Stand in front of a plain white or very light-coloured wall, at least half a metre away from it to prevent shadow. If your background is not exactly white, Passport Photo Maker's automatic background removal can correct this — but the more neutral your actual background, the cleaner the result.
Download your processed photo and print on genuine photographic paper — not standard inkjet or laser printer paper, which tends to be too thin and low-quality. Most pharmacy photo labs and online print services offer passport-photo-size prints at 35×45mm. Confirm before ordering that the lab can print this exact size; some North American labs default to 2×2-inch format.
For e-Visa applications, export a JPEG from Passport Photo Maker at the resolution and file size range cited above. Check the portal's upload confirmation for any error message about format or size — if the portal rejects the file, reduce the image size or adjust the resolution and try again before contacting BOCA support.
Taiwan passport photos and Taiwan visa photos share the same physical specifications — which can make it tempting to use one for the other. Here is where the alignment holds and where it breaks down in practice:
| Feature | Taiwan Visa Photo | Taiwan Passport Photo (ROC) |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 35 mm × 45 mm | 35 mm × 45 mm |
| Head height | 32–36 mm (70–80% of photo) | 32–36 mm (70–80% of photo) |
| Background | Plain white | Plain white |
| Glasses | Corrective only, no glare; no coloured contacts | Same rule; coloured contacts explicitly prohibited |
| Alteration | No digital alteration of facial features | Same rule — BOCA notes this causes e-gate issues |
| Submission (physical) | Two prints pasted/clipped to visa form at overseas mission | Two prints submitted to BOCA passport office or travel agency |
| Digital submission | JPEG via e-Visa portal (when applicable); min 413×531 px, max 5 MB | JPEG via BOCA passport online system; min 413×531 px, max 5 MB |
| Issuing authority | BOCA / Taiwanese overseas mission in your country | BOCA / ROC nationals only |
| Enforcement strictness | Can be stricter — consular officers have more discretion on visa applications | Standardised via BOCA's automated passport processing |
Bottom line: the photos themselves are interchangeable in spec — a photo that is technically correct for a Taiwan passport is technically correct for a Taiwan visa. The difference is in who applies the rules and how: a consular officer assessing a visa application has discretion to reject borderline photos more readily than an automated passport processing system. Take the same care either way, but go in with that context.
Five steps from photo to submission-ready file or print — no studio, no Photoshop.
Use the upload widget on this page. JPEG, PNG, or WebP accepted. The photo should have been taken within the last 6 months with a decent camera at arm's-length or beyond.
Inside Passport Photo Maker, choose Taiwan Visitor Visa, Resident Visa, or e-Visa from the country/document selector. The tool applies the 35×45mm template and the correct biometric framing automatically.
Background removal runs automatically. Adjust the crop handle if needed to ensure your head fills 70–80% of the photo's height and is evenly centred. The tool will flag if the head is too large or too small.
Check the compliance panel: eyes visible, no shadow on face or background, neutral expression, no glasses glare. If any issue is flagged, make the correction before downloading.
Choose print format (a sheet sized for photographic paper printing at 35×45mm) for consulate submission, or digital JPEG for e-Visa portal upload. Save a copy — you may need to resubmit.
These are the failure points most frequently cited by consular offices and by applicants reporting rejected submissions for Taiwan visas:
Upload once. Get a 35×45mm, white-background, biometric-framed photo ready for your Visitor Visa, Resident Visa, or e-Visa application. Print-ready and portal-upload-ready in under a minute.
Your Taiwan visa template loads automatically. No account required.
Passport Photo Maker matches documented BOCA specifications. Always verify requirements against the official BOCA visa portal or your nearest Taiwanese overseas mission before submitting your application.
